The appointment comes after Francis House’s previous Chief Executive, Revd David Ireland, announced he was retiring after twenty years leading the charity.
David swapped a career as an architect to take over the running of Francis House in 2005 and played a pivotal role in converting the former convent in Didsbury, Manchester, into a children’s hospice which opened its doors in 1991.
The hospice today supports more than 600 families of children and young people with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions from across Greater Manchester through a range of respite and end of life services.
Rachael Taylor takes over as the new CEO at the beginning of April and is a familiar face to staff and families having been assistant to the Chief Executive for thirteen years. She is also only the third Chief Executive Officer to be appointed in the 33 years of the hospice’s existence.
Rachael said: “Many leaders leave their mark on an organisation, but few can say they have built theirs. As an architect, David did not just design a building; he created a home from home at Francis House – a place of comfort care and support for children and families during life’s most challenging moments.
“I shall miss David’s unwavering support, and on behalf of everyone at Francis House, we wish him a happy retirement and thank him for everything that he has achieved.”
Revd Ireland’s influence reached far beyond the walls of Francis House through his work with hospices in Yokohama, Bosnia Herzegovina and The Czech Republic. David shared his experience and given guidance on a global scale to other hospices, spreading the word about good palliative care for children and teenagers.
Francis House trustee and High Sheriff of Greater Manchester, Eamonn O’Neal OBE, presented David with a High Sheriff Special Recognition Award for Unrivalled Dedicated Service.
Eamonn said: “David is a fine example of how contributing to a compassionate society through dedicated service can make a huge difference to those who need support at the most difficult times. His Francis House journey literally started at the drawing board and finished up in the CEO’s office. That will never be repeated. What we do know, however, is that Rachael will build upon David’s legacy and lead the hospice into the future with vigour, energy and innovation, so we’re in good hands.”
Francis House supports the families of children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions through a range of services including respite care, homecare, day care, sibling support, parental support, end of life care, emotional and bereavement support. It costs £4.8 million per year to run Francis House with the majority of income through voluntary giving.
